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Publishing a weekly newsletter has trained me to notice patterns I never would have seen before. They were always there, but I wasn't looking for them.
One of the most interesting is the rhythm of publishing cycles. Trend reports tend to arrive quarterly, seasonally, or around the turn of the year. Hiring announcements ramp up in Q1 as new budgets are approved and teams begin investing in growth. AI announcements often coincide with quarterly earnings. Whether the financial results are strong or weak, companies use those moments to showcase new initiatives and help shape the conversation beyond the numbers.
Speaking of which, Travel + Leisure has a new Trend Report, and lots of new AI initiatives being revealed alongside Q2 earnings calls.
Thanks for reading.
Quick ask: will you forward this to one person in your network who might be looking for a new job, looking to break into hospitality marketing, or likes to scan the latest updates each week? That is how most readers find us.
Until next week,
Rachel
Marketing Briefs
Did You Know?
Trending news, marketing news, and reports:
Travel Trend Report // Travel + Leisure
LinkedIn actually adds a ‘seems like AI slop’ button // The Verge
O’Dwyer’s Public Relations publishes it’s Travel PR issue, including rankings of top travel PR firms, travel PR insights, and more // O’Dwyer’s
Ends Tonight? How False Urgency Became Email’s $500 per Subscriber Mistake // MarTech
Meta shares holiday 2026 tips for small businesses // Social Media Today
Why every SEO team now needs a social topical map // Search Engine Land
What 15.7 million AI Mode citations reveal about getting quoted by Google // Search Engine Land
“Read More” Links on Search on Desktop // PPC News Feed
Gap expands creator program as employee-generated content gains influence // eMarketer
Hospitality AI Initiatives:
IHG Hotels & Resorts launches AI-powered conversational search tool // Hotel Dive
Accor says most conversations with hotel owners now about AI // Phocuswire
Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta said the U.S. economy is strengthening, citing tax and regulatory policy and investment in AI infrastructure as tailwinds for hotel demand // Travel Weekly
Programming & Activations
What resorts are launching now, from brand collaborations to activations and revenue-generating experiences:
Why the ‘Micro-Trip’ Is Fall’s Most Viral Travel Trend // Parade
Dior’s First Spa in Venice Just Opened at Hotel Cipriani // Robb Report
Beauty, Wellness, and Travel: Meet the Glowmads // Hospitality Net
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Upcoming Events
Holidays, events, and conferences to keep on your radar:
Conferences & Travel
Hotel Data Conference | Aug 5 - 7 | Nashville, TN
IMM LUX | Sept 9 - 10, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV
Digital Travel Summit | Sept 28 - 29 | Orlando, FL
ILTM Cannes | Nov 30 - Dec 3 | Cannes, France
Awards Voting
HSMAI Adrian Awards | Submissions accepted July 15 - September 15
Holidays
Labor Day (US/Canada) // September 7
Columbus Day // October 12
Veterans Day // November 11
Thanksgiving // November 26
Christmas // December 25
New Year’s Eve // December 31
Industry Updates
Agency News
News from the agencies that hotel marketers trust and work with. If you have new client wins as an agency with a hospitality-focused client and want to share them here, email me at [email protected].
J/PR expands its offices to Miami, FL, one of the world’s fastest growing luxury markets
IMAGINE PR named agency of record for Louma Country Hotel (via O’Dwyer’s PR)
Job Postings & Career News
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What is the 5.15
Leading luxury hotel marketing across resorts and task force marketing roles over the past 15+ years led me to launch The Hotel Marketing 5.15 in 2025 to help keep clients up to date on hospitality marketing news and activations. I am always available for coffee chats, networking, and to discuss project-based assignments.
Based on a communication method developed by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, the 5.15 is a weekly format designed to synthesize key insights in 15 minutes or less and be read in five minutes. This newsletter applies the same principle to hotel marketing: concise, actionable trends and opportunities curated for industry professionals.
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